Rail-joint.



J. R. PRING.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1911, 1,051,822. Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

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-UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN R. PRING, O F SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA.

RAIL-JOINT.

To all whom ii/may concern.-

e it knOwn that I, JOHN R. PRING, a citizen 0f the United States,residing at Shawnee, in the county of Pottawatomie and State ofOklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail joints.

An object of this invention is the provision of an attachment which whenapplied to the meeting ends of a pair of rails will hold them securelyagainst both vertical and lateral displacement.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an attachmentcomprising a pair of sections adapted to engage the meet ing ends of apair of rails and be retained in position by a plurality of bolts, and aplurality of spring joint and nut locks, the nuts of which are heldagainst displacement by fingers formed upon combination spring joint andnut locks carried by one of the sections of the attachment.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an attachmentcomprising the combination spring joint and nut lock which locks the twoopposite sides of the joint together at the bottom and also holds thedetached section firmly against the upper face of the flange of the baseof the rail. By this means in connection with the bolts keying the upperedge of this detached section firmly under the hall of the rail, thegreater part of the strain is taken off of the bolts thus preventing thestretching of the said bolts. Also the upper end of the combinationspring joint and nut lock is provided with the nut lock. By this meanstogether with the combination side flange and base plate a firm, solidand tight joint is insured and low joints and the usual clicking of thewheels as they pass thereover are prevented.

A still further object of this invention is to improve and simplifydevices of this character, rendering them comparatively simple andinexpensive to manufacture, reliable and efficient in use and readilyoperated.

With the above and other objects in view this invention resides in thenovel features of construction formations, combinations and arrangementsof parts to be hereinafter Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. July 22, 1911.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Serial No. 640,011.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the combination spring and nutlock.

Referring to the drawings by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views, the numeral 5 designates generally the mceting endsof a pair-of rails each of which consists of the usual head 6, baseflanges 7 and connecting web 8.

My improved attachment 9 shown clearly in Fig. 1 comprises a pair ofsections 10 and 11 the former of which consists of a brace plate 12located upon the ties 13 and formed integrally with a plate 1 1,offsetat its lower end to engage one of the base flanges at the terminalof which it is secured to the upper face of the base plate 12. Thesection 11 is offset at its opposite edge as at 16 to engage the underface of the head 6 and upper side of the adjacent base flange 7 in whichposition it is securely held against displacement by means of connectingbolts 17 which extend through alining apertures 18 and 19 formed in thesections and the combination of spring joint and nut lock.

The combination spring joint and nut locks 20 are each located inopenings 21 formed in the base plate 12 and are offset at their lowerterminals as at 22 to engage the under sides of the base plates and attheir interi'nediatc portions as at 23 to engage the outer edge of theadjacent base flanges 7. The offsets 23 extend to the outer lower edgeof the sections 11 at which point they are extended normally at anincline thereto as indicated by the numeral 24 referring to the dottedlines in Fig. 3. By this means the locking of the two sections togetheris provided for. The upper ends of these vertical spring extensions 25surround the bolts 17 and are held in contact with the face of thesection 11 by locked nuts 26 threaded upon the said bolts 17. Theselocked nuts are held against rotation by inclined fingers 27 formed uponthe extensions 25 in such manner that the rotation of the nuts will bepermitted in but one direction only owing to the incline of the saidfingers and resilience of the extension.

From the foregoing disclosure takenin connect-ion With the drawing itWill be manifest that a rail joint is provided which will fulfil all ofthe necessary requirements of such a device.

Having thus fully described this invention What I claim as new anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is:

The combination in a rail joint with the meeting ends of a pair ofrails, of fish plates engaging the opposite sides of the rails, a baseplate formed upon the lower edge of one fish plate and extending beneathsaid rails and projecting beyond the opposite sides of the rails, saidbase plate having a slot formed therein adjacent the edge of the rail, afastening bolt passing through one of said rails and fish plates, aplate extending through said slot, said plate being ofi'set at one endto engage the under side of the base plate, said plate being curved toconform to the curvature of the rail and contact with the lower edge ofthe adjacent fish plate and an outwardly slanting spring extensionformed upon said plate, said extension having an opening formed thereinfor receiving the bolt, a finger struck outwardly from said springextension adjacent the opening and a nut threaded upon said bolt forcooperation With the spring extension and finger formed thereon.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two itnesses.

JOHN R. PRING.

Witnesses:

W. K. A. WILEY, ED PART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

